Why the Kremlin fears even the ‘managed opposition’ in Russia

In the lead-up to the Duma elections, the Kremlin accelerated what it calls 'ballot sterilisation'. Candidates from managed opposition parties, such as the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, have been arrested or barred, diminishing the prospects for a protest vote. Yabloko, the only anti-war party, was also barred from fielding candidates, reflecting the Kremlin's fear of rising public dissatisfaction.